There was an amazing article in this morning’s Globe and Mail on “interfaith hockey”,quite Canadian eh? Potential for an inter-religious sports tournament for charity in the future? Who knows…

Traditional adversaries make peace with pucks

Their names are Samir and Shlomo, Adil and Albert, and they come from two faiths that make news for conflict, not co-operation. But in a Montreal arena last weekend, Muslims and Jews laced up for a common love: Canada’s game.

“Go, go, go!” a player shouted from the bench as a teammate tore down the ice. “Pass!”

Forget the political arena. In this temple, two traditional adversaries have made peace at centre ice, forging a bond as teammates through the Moroccan national ice hockey team.

A few years back, Montreal businessman Khalid Mrini got the idea of launching a hockey team representing his homeland of Morocco, a North African nation better known for heat, deserts and soccer. Then he set about recruiting the best Moroccan ex-pats the world over. Naturally, he found fertile ground in Montreal – and whether they were Muslim or part of the Sephardic community of Moroccan Jews didn’t matter.

Today, he’s put his vision into practice. He and captain Saad Tawfiq are Muslim. The coach and about a third of the 15 players are Jewish.

“We are succeeding where politics have failed,” said the 48-year-old Mr. Mrini, who has lived in Montreal for 30 years. “We don’t have weapons, we have sweat. And whether your name is Eli or Mohammed doesn’t matter, you’re going to embrace after you score a goal.”

Sometimes, the notion takes some getting used to. Last fall, Mr. Mrini and Mr. Tawfiq were introduced to a potential recruit – Shlomo Levy, a Montrealer and member of the Israeli national hockey team.

As Mr. Levy stood in the foyer of a Montreal arena, his hockey bag thrown over his shoulder, he insisted on clearing the air. Yes, he was open to joining. But he wanted them to know: He was not only Jewish, but born in Israel.

“We didn’t see a problem – on the contrary, at least he knows about international hockey,” said Mr. Tawfiq, 27. “It brings another level to our team.”

The players say their camaraderie reflects the relatively harmonious coexistence of Muslims and Jews in Morocco; they’re just extending it onto the ice in Montreal. For one, they respect one another’s religious observances. Practices are suspended during Ramadan, as they were during the recent Passover holiday; instead of fending off pucks, Adil El Farj, a Muslim goaltender and financial adviser in Montreal, fired off Happy Passover wishes to his Jewish teammates.

“This team is a nice lesson for the rest of the world,” said Patrick Harroch, who is Jewish and whose brother, Dave, just signed on as coach. “It shows the world that Arabs and Jews can get along through the beauty of sports. We have something in common that bonds us – the love of hockey.”

The players in Montreal range from 19 to 40 years old, their abilities varying from garage league to major junior. Now the team is setting its sights on the African Nations Cup in Johannesburg this fall, where Morocco will face off against equally unlikely hockey-playing nations – Algeria, Tunisia, Namibia and South Africa.

To raise money for the trip, Mr. Mrini is holding a fundraising dinner at a Moroccan restaurant in Montreal in May, where he will offer a typical Moroccan menu featuring chicken tagine. Mindful of ticket buyers who eat kosher, however, “there will be salmon, too,” he added.

Perhaps it had to happen in Canada – hockey serving as the vehicle for two would-be adversaries to join forces and wear the same uniform. But now, Mr. Mrini says, he wants to show they can score, too.

“Everyone knows that if Muslims and Jews get together, they can do amazing things. With this team,” he said, “we’ll prove it.”

Moroccan national ice hockey team captain Saad Tawfiq, a Muslim, jokes around with Jewish goalie Albert Benchimol following a recent practice in Montreal. ‘Everyone knows that if Muslims and Jews get together, they can do amazing things,’ said founder Khalid Mrini. ‘With this team,we’ll prove it.’ Christinne Muschi for The Globe and Mail

// Jews and Muslims skate together in Montreal as teammates and friends on the Moroccan national ice hockey team. ‘We are succeeding where politics have failed

If you are interested in getting more involved with the Tzedaka/Sadaqah project’s work, we invite you to apply for a leadership position for next year. Please download the application form below and submit it to tzedakasadaqah@gmail.com.

As the school year is drawing to a close I would like to thank all of you who have taken the time to volunteer with us at Dundas Centre United’s Out of The Cold, took part in our sandwich making program and participated in other activities. This year would not have been as successful if it was not for you all. For those of you who did not get a chance to make it out to volunteer or participate in our activities this school year we hope that you will be able to do so next year!

Please Note: Due to exams we will not be organizing groups to volunteer in April, however the Out of the Cold program runs until May and for those who are still interested in volunteering please feel free to contact us.